MEMS and Packaging Hold Keys to Radio Connectivity

A fully mobile and connected world full of “rich” user experiences won’t exist until radios can operate at ultra-high speed and ultra-low power in both existing 6-GHz and future 60-GHz spectrums.

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By John Blyler

Building on Intel’s Rattner introduction to the future of mobile computing, IMEC’s Liebet Van der Perre recently spoke about the need for ultra-low-power, ultra-high-speed, versatile radios. Dr. Van der Perre is the director of the Green Radios Program at IMEC. What follows is a summary of her presentation.

The prerequisite technology to achieve context-aware mobile computing is improved connected devices—from smartphones and smart buildings to smart devices and displays. This technology is supported by growth numbers, which project that the number of wireless devices will reach beyond 10 billion units in the next few years.

The continued growth in wireless devices brings with it the predictable need for greater bandwidth, connectivity, and mobility. What is far less predictable is the associated user behavior, desired applications, and business models needed to support the market. No one is quite sure what connectivity applications will excite future users. Who could have predicted the rise of Facebook? This is why user-experience-based design has taken on new urgency. (more)